VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Matho The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Atmen" or "Breathing" is an Austrian movie in the German language from 2011, so it had its 5th anniversary last year. It is the first filmmaking work for Karl Markovics, one of Austria's finest actors. You may know him from playing the main character in the Oscar-winning "Die Fälscher". So yeah, it is his rookie effort, but by now he has made another film already. But back to this one here. It received a great deal of awards recognition, for example at the Austrian Film Awards, but it got also picked to represent Austria at the Oscars where it was, however, not nominated. Young lead actor Thomas Schubert, who also won an Austrian Film Award for his performance, is probably not yet known to many, but German(language) film buffs will recognize at least Georg Friedrich, who plays one of the major supporting players, namely the protagonist's boss. And Markovics of course.This is the story of a young man who commits a terrible crime that gets him to jail and the movie is about how he comes to terms with what he did. A lot of it has to do with his work at a morgue where he gets an entirely new perspective about life and death. Obviously, this one plot reference would not be enough for a 90-minute movie, so they did nicely in including a reference to his mother who abandoned him at a very young age and she says at one point that it was the best she has ever done and when she elaborated on this statement later on, it is an interesting reference to what the protagonist did because surrendering to the situation is always a viable option. I also liked the scene at the train with the English/American girl. Some may see it as irrelevant, but to me it offered a lot. First of all, it is the one occasion where the central character is just a teenage boy like everybody else and he experiences what life could be like if he had not done what he did and how just even the most simple things like having a beer were prohibited and on the other hand it shows that love is not (yet) in the books for him as the only woman he was looking for at that particular time was his mother.Overall, the movie needed a while to get going and really catch my attention, but the longer it went, the more it did. It is obvious that Markovics had lots of experience with all kinds of filmmakers and he successful transformed this experience in his own craft as a writer and director, the man in charge behind the camera. So quite a revelation for a rookie filmmaker at the age of almost 50 back then. I maybe would not share the universal acclaim for Schubert as the main character, but not because he was bad or any thing, but because he just did what he had to and was pretty solid, especially for an actor his age. This film to me feels much more about the story as a whole than about individual performance and I don't think it may be right to put one above the others, only because he had more screen time. But this is not a negative point either, or at least not one that leaves a really weak note in terms of the viewing experience. Like I said earlier, what maybe bothers me the most about the film is that it takes quite a while to get going and could have worked better with a superior first half. The ending was nicely again as it shows that the film is not about who he was (we never see the attack), but about who he became. A well-rounded effort and I applaud Markovics and the rest for it. Certainly worth checking out.

maximuneyoshi The themes of life and death and brilliantly elaborated through breath and suffocation. It is no accident that the film name is "Breathing".Through the use of recurring themes to elaborate on psychological drama this movie strongly reminded me of the also very good "Don't Look Now" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/ where red, the color of blood, water and fall are in a constant interplay with the ideas of life, death and sorrow.In this case breathing means life, and deep in the swimming pool is the perfect place to evade from it, to leave it outside. By spending a good deal of time there you can quit life for good. But no.This young taciturn boy, who for the lack of meaningful ties contacts didn't learn how to express himself, carries on. It is the power of the indomitable human spirit that in spite of mounting difficulties and tons of hesitation doesn't quit.He was raised in an orphanage and the lack of support is there to be seen almost every time. It is there when he is deep down in the pool, or when he cries. Boys don't cry, even more so in prison.He has to make amendments. He does time for killing a boy - who was trying to suffocate him - and also his mother he only gets to know aged 19. It is a lot to do for something lacking the proper tools, but intentionally or not, the work at a mortuary helps him deal with his own suicidal impulses and the death he caused.It is an overall sad movie, but also an inspiring one about how life can prevail. Kroger, the boy, speaks very little through this piece but that doesn't make his acting any less convincing or expressive. Thumbs up for the director, too, who pull a seamless and very aesthetic work.

murtaza murad Austria has been hitting aces with films like THE COUNTERFEITERS and REVANCHE and again with BREATHING, the country proves it has got what it takes to be considered amongst quality film making countries.The film is small and poignant driven by a brave, bold and haunting performance by Thomas Schubert. The boy delves deep into the character and comes up with a nuance and sincerely enriched performance stating that he clearly lived every second of the film and literally felt the character making him able to wear the character over himself like a costume.The supporting cast was adequate and served their purpose decently.Karl Markovics is a known actor who inspired me with his acting skills in THE COUNTERFEITERS but here he comes up with an even better film and inspires with his directing and writing skills. The scenes were meticulously crafted, the feelings of the reclusive lead character were so rich that one watching the film can easily feel the mental pain and torture that he goes through.The scenes i like best were when the Schubert releases the trapped bird, it carefully tells how his character has evolved into someone less brutal and caring person.The score by Herbert Tucmandl and cinematography by Martin Gschlacht was cool and provided with the accurate mood of the film; dense, low but yet beautiful.This movie might not be appealing to everyone but the lovers of art-drama films will surely cherish this small gem from Austria.

PipAndSqueak There is no 'love' in this subtle treatment of emotional dysfunction. All the characters will alienate you and are to all intents and purpose 'alienated' in their own lives and roles. Nevertheless, even the hardest officials show a restrained generosity towards the troubled youth Kolger as he fights and struggles against them. The marvel is that once the cause of Kolger's anger is revealed you will completely understand his position, why he has grown with such a sour view of the world. This is not an upbeat movie but it will make you reconsider why it is that troubled people lash out. They may not really know why either, but you can bet there has been a precursor that 'sets them up'. Full marks for illustrating this process without moralising. This film deserves a wider audience - show it to some troubled people, it'll give them cause to hope for a better life.